The Networked World
The Brave New Networked World The internet as it appears in the world of Epoch:Human is greatly stratified between the legal Net and a cobbled together peer to peer "Sage" net Lnet VR / AR (also known as A/VR ) defines the bulk of the legal Network. Though calling it the Legal Net or LNet is a misnomer as heavily modified Phreakers from the free net often stage data raids. While other Phreakers who live on its fringes engauge in endless cat and mouse games with the powers that be. For the elite cyberheads, directly plugging your brain is possible For others, advances in wearable computing, such as full VR / AR rigs worn externally but providing various levels of interaction including a totally immersive experience. Mirror Shades, anyone? :)coupled with haptic feedback & full body position tracking clothing, and EEG headwear that can directly monitor and react to brain activity. There are sectors of society that essentially live their lives immersed in one of many virtual world overlays over reality via such technology. For some this level of integration with the virtual may have addictive qualities similar to hard drug addiction, with all the associated social/criminal problems. The LNet as a proprietary part of the corporations as a whole acts as one of the few legal free zones for average citizens. So long as you aren't compromising corporate or government security and hit your daily quota of add you are free to indulge in almost any vice imaginable so long as it can be digitized. Sages and the Free net The Sages and the Free network utilize BANs (Body Area Networks) coupled with genetic memory upgrades that allow for a storage of close a few zettabytes per Sage and a few petabytes of data storage per average user. The sages are living archives of the internet accessible to those for whom access to the real internet is limited due to their legal standing, lack of funds or want of anonymity. Each sage has a selection of topics stored in modified DNA within their own body and they rely on couriers to clandestinely mine the internet to update the Sages as needed. Meditation circles often sprout up surrounding the Sages with everyone wanting to access the stored date or share date or even just commune surrounding them with linked hands. As they touch each other they go into a trance to create a LAN free from government/corporate control. DNA storage also sometimes leaves desperate data jockeys to use sex as a means to store data "off site" in a unlucky one night stand. Number Stations broadcasting with one time pad encryption updated from group to group by couriers working for the stations are the primary means of distance communication for these groups. Operation of a Number Station or being a courier for one is one of the most dangerous jobs in the future. Mesh Networking and Body Area Networking The Sages and there followers make use of there specialised "Free Net" and genetric memory / BAN hybrid technologies for secure communications and data storage. In more general networking terms, Mesh Networking (and its very limited range Body Area Network sibling) provide a common form of technology based networking, most comonly ussed by cyberpunks and their A/VR interfacing needs. A MeshNet network can be totally isolated from the LNet, or it can be created as an extension to an LNet endpoint node if someone creates a brdige link between a node in a MeshNet and an LNet access point. *MeshNet - mesh networking in its advanced future form. A standardised protocol that allows for the easy creation of ad-hoc local networks. Foolish users use this Bare and exposed. Smart people are Sheilded and take steps to protect themselves. *BodyNet, Body Area Network, BAN - A type of mesh network local to your own body and immediate surroundings (very short range). All the trusted mesh enabled devices you are using, wearing, or have implanted, can connect into your bodynet and share resources etc. *Mesh, Meshed - the act of connecting mesh enabled systems together. *Link - connecting to another user or device. *Cryptsig - String cryptographic signatures used to encrypt communications and data. *Cryptlink - connecting to a trusted user or device using a cryptsig to encrypt the connection *CrypTok - a physical device whose only purpose is to create a shared set of cryptsigs with another physically touching CrypTok device. The cryptsigs can then be transferred to each persons NetLink so future communications can be secured. *NetLink - a networking device that is designed to be able to connect to the various networking systems available in the world, acting as router, access point, firewall, SID (security intrusion detection), and a central hub/switch for a bodynet. Quite often a NetLink will be a full L-AI enabled net-terminal providing normal computing functionality to the user over their bodynet.